Where To Get
Free Moving Boxes To Save Some Bucks .

Let’s face it – moving isn’t cheap. The costs to move of course vary greatly depending upon a variety of variables. Mostly distance and how much stuff you have to move. Then there’s all the other expenses such as packing supplies and moving boxes.

When it comes to cutting the cost of moving boxes, with a bit of creative thinking and leg work on where to get free moving boxes you can score all kinds of free moving boxes from a variety of different places. Not only will free moving boxes save you some bucks, but you’ll also be helping the environment by reusing boxes instead buying new ones.

But before we get into where to get free moving boxes, there a couple of important notes to take into consideration before you go out and hit the motherlode of free moving boxes.

First of all, how far are you moving? As a general rule these free moving boxes will work well for the shorter hauls and local moves. But if you’re talking about a long distance move, you’ll want to be much more discriminating when it comes scarfing up those free moving boxes.

Loose packing and weak boxes is the number one reason for damaged or broken items during a move. If your free moving boxes are made of thin weak material, you may get the boxes for free, but you’ll pay a lot more to replace or fix your broken belongings.

Size matters… You shouldn’t go out and grab all the boxes you can or think you need just because they happen to be free. Be consistent with the sizes of boxes that you choose. Usually this means some small, medium, and large boxes. Right? Well sort of. It’s true you want these sizes, but you want consistent dimensions for each group. If you end up with a litany of boxes of different sizes, you may suddenly find that this presents stacking and packing challenges and ultimately doesn’t use your available moving space very efficiently. So, now that you’re ready to go, let’s have a look.

Where To Get Moving Free Boxes

Although not necessarily the definitive list of places to get free moving boxes, the following ideas should give you a good start… and maybe all you need… or at least wake up a few more of your creative brain cells.

Craigslist

This online marketplace can be a great place to find free moving boxes. Take a look in the free section of Craigslist for those getting rid of their boxes. You’ll probably have better luck if you check just before or just after the weekend since that’s when a lot of moving is or has occurred.

Freecycle

Is a nonprofit online group (not unlike Craigslist) that connects individuals in neighborhoods to help facilitate the giving and getting of all kinds of items for free. The membership is free and depending upon the community can be fairly active.

FaceBook

Has a Marketplace section in which towns and communities have groups that work as helpful resources. You could post that you are looking for free moving boxes and then check for replies to your post every couple of days. You never know. You may find someone directly that wants to get rid of their boxes or you may find someone who knows someone who is about to unpack.

Find Someone Who Just Moved

People are moving all the time. And for the people who are just moving in, they are thinking about the unenviable task of breaking down all their moving boxes and somehow getting them into the recycle bins. Check out your neighborhood or apartment complex. Do some reconnaissance driving around your neighborhood. Don’t be shy because the people who are just moving in probably can’t wait to get rid of their moving boxes.

Liquor Stores

Liquor stores can be a great place to find free moving boxes. These retailers get slews of incoming orders every month. These boxes tend to be sturdy and well reinforced and standard sizes. Many months liquor stores have more boxes than they know what to do with. So, don’t be shy… just ask the owner or manager. They are usually more than happy to have you stop by and take the boxes off their hands.

Bars and Restaurants

These businesses are not unlike the aforementioned liquor stores. Bars and Restaurants receive multiple deliveries per week and would be more than happy if they didn’t have to spend their time breaking down all the boxes which could mean free moving boxes for you. Your best bet would be to have a look at the liquor boxes first. The food delivery boxes for the same reason as grocery stores, may not be your best option.

U-Haul Box Exchange

U-Haul is used for millions of moves. This means they have a whole bunch of customers that have moving boxes that they no longer need. To this end, U-Haul has created a customer connect message board as way for people to exchange boxes and reduce waste. This is an easy way to check to see if someone in your area has some free moving boxes that you could connect with. And while you’re at it you may be able to score some other much needed moving supplies such as bubble and packing tape that others are wanting to part with.

Community Groups

One of the most notable online community groups is Nextdoor.com. This is a free private social network for neighborhoods and the surrounding area. The site has a classified section in which folks always post stuff they are looking to get rid of… including free moving boxes. Chances are pretty good someone has just moved in and is looking for someone who could come get their stack of moving boxes.

Retailers In General

This is a general category for you to consider. No matter where you live, you’re probably not far from some type of retailer. These businesses have shipments for inventory coming in all the time. And just like anyone else, they would probably be more than happy to have you stop by and take them off their hands. With a little bit of thought you can target the type of retailer that would most likely have the types and sizes of moving boxes that you are looking for.

Bookstores

If you have a local bookstore or Barnes & Noble nearby these stores can be a great place for free moving boxes. These boxes tend to be smaller but very sturdy… because books are heavy. Stop by and ask your local bookstore when or what days of the week they get their deliveries. Don’t forget to check with any of your local college and university bookstores as well.

Grocery Stores

Grocery stores clearly get a ton of shipments throughout the week. The challenge with grocery stores is finding boxes that are sturdy enough for your move. Also keep in mind that many grocery store boxes get wet which weakens the cardboard, if they have had food in them there is a possibility of pests, and grocery store boxes can vary greatly in size and dimensions making them not very space efficient and potentially hard to stack. Grocery stores for free moving boxes probably isn’t going to be your top option. But, nonetheless, check with your store manager and you’ll probably find that you’ll be welcome to come have a look.

Schools

Work well particularly if you have a child that attends the school so that they are familiar with you. Get in touch with the office personnel and ask if they can help you out. Late summer is best time to check since supplies will be coming in and teachers will be unpacking in their classrooms.

Big Box & Bigger Retailers

These stores may be a little tougher to score free moving boxes from. Especially retailers like Costco and Walmart because they may have stricter policies in place as to how they dispose of or recycle their boxes. That being said, you should definitely check out places like Lowes and Home Depot. These types of home improvement stores can be a great place especially if you need a couple of larger or even super-sized boxes.

At the end of the day, think about checking with just about any types of businesses. If they are in business and sell products, then they’ll have inventory that comes to them packed in boxes. Don’t be shy… it never hurts to ask. Besides, your desire to get free moving boxes may just fit well with their desire to not have to break them down and get them to the recycle bins.

Just want to press the easy button. Give us a call at Muscular Moving Men and let us know what you need. Or, stop by our Packing Supply Store to make sure you get high quality boxes designed for the right job.